Spin, lies and deception:

25th May, 2016

25 Fai, 2016

Starts | Dechrau: 19:30pm

Ends | Diwedd: 20:45pm

Talk

Sgwrs

Shire Hall

Agincourt Square, Monmouth, NP25 3DY

£4.00

Coleridge’s triumph on Malta

Talk by Barry Hough, Portsmouth University and author of works on Coleridge’s life on Malta, in the Mediterranean war zone 1804-5, where he found friendship and employment as diplomat and administrator with Sir Alexander Ball, one of Nelson’s Band of Brothers,

In Monmouth on Wednesday May 25th the Coleridge in Wales journey zooms in on 1804, when Coleridge left his wife and children and voyaged to a war zone, the Mediterranean, and Malta. Here he found friendship as well as employment with the Civil Commissioner of Malta Sir Alexander Ball, one of Nelson’s 'Band of Brothers'. Appropriately, in Monmouth, a town that holds one of Britain’s pre-eminent Nelson collections, Barry Hough, author of works on Coleridge’s life on Malta, will talk about Coleridge's extraordinary work as diplomat and administrator as Public Secretary, time he later described as the most memorable and instructive period of his life. Spin, lies and deception: Coleridge’s triumph on Malta talk at Shire Hall, promises a fascinating insight into another aspect of charismatic Coleridge’s life.

It was Coleridge’s misfortune to have the role of Public Secretary thrust upon him at a time of dangerous political instability on Malta. Simmering popular revolt against British rule threatened British possession of the Maltese islands. Finding himself at the heart of what he confidentially described as the wicked machinery of colonial government, Coleridge was instructed to make popular, ill-judged, counter-productive and contradictory policies. Although he later described his Malta experience working with the Civil Commissioner, Sir Alexander Ball, as the most memorable and instructive period of his life, the excessive burdens of this strategically important role placed him under severe strain. In this lecture Barry Hough will discuss Coleridge’s propaganda role, including his relationship with the Civil Commissioner, Sir Alexander Ball who was a close naval colleague of Lord Nelson. He will also discuss how Coleridge narrowly succeeded in preventing Britain from being forced into a dangerous war with Algiers once Nelson and Ball’s war policy had been rejected by British ministers.

Barry Hough will also discuss how Coleridge’s later writing on truth in government communication conveys a cautionary message to modern politicians.